1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flexible display device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a technique for inspecting a flexible display medium layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to the properties of thin, light, impact resistant and flexibility, flexible display products are rather portable. In the meantime, the products can be easily processed and cut into different shapes for diversified designs and provide considerable design freedom. It has a great potential to replace the conventional flat panel display as the next generation displays and to apply to a new marketplace. The special properties of a flexible display device also permit the transition from a sheet-fed batch processing to a roll-to-roll manufacturing. As a result, the production cost of the flexible display device will drop significantly. Moreover, the separate manufacturing of the driving electrode layer and the display medium layer is another newly developed concept in the roll-to-roll manufacturing. According to the requirements of the display, driving electrode layers are attached to the upper and the lower surface of the display medium layer.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams, schematically showing the structure of a flexible display device. The structure of a flexible display device 104 mainly comprises a flexible display medium layer 110. Then, one or two adhesive layers 108 and 112 are coated on the top and the bottom surface or on one of the surfaces of the flexible display medium layer 110. Furthermore, a driving electrode structure comprising a top electrode layer 114 and a bottom electrode layer 106 is attached to the top surface and the bottom surface or one of the surfaces of the flexible display medium layer 110 through the adhesive layer 108 and the adhesive layer 112 respectively. Since the actual structure of the foregoing flexible display device should be familiar to the ordinary skilled artisans in the art, a detailed description is omitted.
The performance inspection of the flexible display device at the end of fabrication using the conventional manufacturing technique is shown in FIG. 2. The flexible display device 132 is carried through a conveyor system such as a roller 130. Some of the processes includes: An orientation treatment unit 134 to carry out necessary orientation operations. The display device with electrodes 132 is delivered to the inspection area 136, the cutting area 137, the categorization area 138 and the collection area 139 in sequence, each providing a corresponding treatment.
In the aforementioned inspection, the electrode structures have already formed in the flexible display device. The cutaway portions, the malfunction parts, contain the finished electrode structures. Since some material is wasted in the production process, the inspection flow is necessary to be improved.